2 Weeks in Japan?

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

As usual I recommend the business hotels, they are cheap but not nasty and there's thousands of the damn things around.

When are you thinking of going?

There's a big Star Wars event on April 18-20 next year, so hotels around the event will be booked out soon, although the venue is in next door Chiba, there's going to be an overflow of fans in Tokyo.

The biggest annual holiday - Golden Week - takes place nationwide April 29 - May 5 and a lot of people will be on the move, so I'd not really recommend that time of year.

Incredibly sensible and useful post.
Back when I used to have to book a room it was fairly cheap to book a nice flat in Shijuku or something for a couple of weeks . . . but the booking process is definitely not something I could have done as a non-native non-japanese speaker. . . the whole process was unbearably over complicated. The outcome though was free run of a flat in the centre of tokyo for less than a tiny hotel room. This was before air B&B . . . so it seemed quite radical at the time. When my band came to Japan a couple of times we would book these . . .until we discovered the Koenji Guesthouse, which will be wayyy too down and dirty for Sim on a honeymoon but was ludicrously cheap and well located.
I now (sort of) have an empty house in Tokyo which makes things pretty easy for now.

But yeah, avoid golden week like the plague.

Not the cheapest of the cheap, but we can’t go too spenny either, I guess we’d like to be conveniently placed. I think last time in Tokyo i stayed in Shibuya, but I’ve read Asakusa is cheaper for accommodation

I would avoid known poncy areas (like Ginza) as you will be paying more for (in my opinion) a very boring less convenient base. Koenji is Just one JR stop from Shinjuku and is a fairly normal central Tokyo location with lively atmosphere (It's always good to be able to walk home as all transport stops at midnight). I'm probably more drawn to Koenji though because of the shopping area, location to Shinjuku, Nakano and the eating / drinking areas . . . and three of the music venues I tend to go to.

Asakusabashi is not a million miles away from where I stay (shinkoiwa in edobashi). I've run through it several times but don't know much about it. I think it's near the samurai museum and the sky tree, but other than that it's unremarkable (to me) nothing memorable to do or see. Basically everywhere on a convenient JR line is going to be fine. . . I would just prefer to be somewhere like Koenji and shimotokitazawa on the west side where all my friends tend to hang out and the street life is more vibrant. Getting home from Shimokitazawa to Shinkoiwa before midnight is a massive bitch.

 

[sim667]

As usual I recommend the business hotels, they are cheap but not nasty and there's thousands of the damn things around.

When are you thinking of going?

There's a big Star Wars event on April 18-20 next year, so hotels around the event will be booked out soon, although the venue is in next door Chiba, there's going to be an overflow of fans in Tokyo.

The biggest annual holiday - Golden Week - takes place nationwide April 29 - May 5 and a lot of people will be on the move, so I'd not really recommend that time of year.

We’re thinking of 7-20 apr (that’s the dates I’ve got off anyway, so your heads up on Star Wars convention is a good shout.

We did stay in a business hotel last time, and it was ok, but I think we’d like to mix it up with non business hotels a bit as we are honeymooning

 

[trashpony]

I’ve sent you a PM

 

[sim667]

Flights booked! Very spenny but my wife's a teacher and thats just the price you pay for that.

So we're thinking of doing 5 nights in Tokyo, 5 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Osaka, with one night back in Tokyo ready to fly home. We've decided against Hakone, and Hiroshima. I've been to Hiroshima, but the main draw there is Miyajima, which my wife isn't bothered about, and the peace park, again she's not too bothered, I've already been to both. Hakone looks lovely, but I've been and I don't recall being that enthused by it, and my wife isn't too bothered either. My wife has a lifetime dream of going to every Disneyland in the world (my worst nightmare), but marriage is about compromise, right? So I guess one day in Tokyo will be going to Disneyland.

As far as places to stay I've been looking at Ueno in Tokyo, it's right on the yamanote line and good links for airports. In Kyoto I've been looking at Gion, and for Osaka I've been looking at Namba

 

[sim667]

ATOMIC SUPLEX can you help me out with how hotels describe beds? I keep seeing rooms for 2 that describe the bed as a large single........ I'm guessing thats smaller than a double bed we'd get in the UK? This is kinda important as we're both broad and my other half is a starfisher

 

[rubbershoes]

We're going in August - I know it'll be steaming hot, but we're still tied to school holidays.

I'll be checking out the thread for ideas on what to do with teenagers who don't want to do anything

 

[sim667]

We're going in August - I know it'll be steaming hot, but we're still tied to school holidays.

I'll be checking out the thread for ideas on what to do with teenagers who don't want to do anything

August was our other option but we decided we wouldn’t be able to deal with it

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Flights booked! Very spenny but my wife's a teacher and thats just the price you pay for that.

So we're thinking of doing 5 nights in Tokyo, 5 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Osaka, with one night back in Tokyo ready to fly home. We've decided against Hakone, and Hiroshima. I've been to Hiroshima, but the main draw there is Miyajima, which my wife isn't bothered about, and the peace park, again she's not too bothered, I've already been to both. Hakone looks lovely, but I've been and I don't recall being that enthused by it, and my wife isn't too bothered either. My wife has a lifetime dream of going to every Disneyland in the world (my worst nightmare), but marriage is about compromise, right? So I guess one day in Tokyo will be going to Disneyland.

As far as places to stay I've been looking at Ueno in Tokyo, it's right on the yamanote line and good links for airports. In Kyoto I've been looking at Gion, and for Osaka I've been looking at Namba

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add a other to Tokyo.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add a other to Tokyo.

Maybe they are really i to temples


Or don't know about the ban of foreigners

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

We're going in August - I know it'll be steaming hot, but we're still tied to school holidays.

I would personally go for a shorter Easter break or winter. August in Tokyo is unbearable.

I'll be checking out the thread for ideas on what to do with teenagers who don't want to do anything

How old? I can ask my daughter (17)

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Maybe they are really i to temples

Two days is enough kyoto for me and if I had to go during tourist season it would tottaly do my nut.

I've only visited the tourist bits during winter and when the international tourist ban was still on and it was OK. Any more people and I would have had a melt down.

 

[rubbershoes]

I would personally go for a shorter Easter break or winter. August in Tokyo is unbearable.

How old? I can ask my daughter (17)

16,18 and 19. And it really has to be the summer as they have exams and wouldn't want to take 7-10 days away at Easter

I'm encouraging the older two to go off together for a couple of days,

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX can you help me out with how hotels describe beds? I keep seeing rooms for 2 that describe the bed as a large single........ I'm guessing thats smaller than a double bed we'd get in the UK? This is kinda important as we're both broad and my other half is a starfisher

No idea. I've never booked a hotel in Japan. When we've booked short let flats for a couple of weeks they come with futons in the cupboard.

A large single I imagine would be a larger than normal single bed. No way would it be a double. It probably means it's a little 'western' longer.

 

[Dr. Furface]

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add a other to Tokyo.

Exactly what I was thinking. Kyoto's stunning but you only need a couple of days there. Osaka's more varied, fun and more 'real' imo - and from what I remember when I was looking for places to stay last year, considerably cheaper than Kyoto which for me seemed expensive, probably due to all the Americans that stay there. I just stayed in Osaka for a week and from there took day trips to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe - all easily reachable in an hour or so. Namba is the centre of town so a decent place to stay - I got a cheap-ish flat in Denden Town which was walkable from there but I was on my own and not bothered about swish accommodation.

My wife has a lifetime dream of going to every Disneyland in the world (my worst nightmare), but marriage is about compromise, right? So I guess one day in Tokyo will be going to Disneyland.

Not my thing either, however Osaka has Universal Studios, which your mrs might also fancy going to.

 

[shakespearegirl]

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add an other to Tokyo.

I found Kyoto a bit Disneyland and would def add time to Osaka and Tokyo

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I found Kyoto a bit Disneyland and would def add time to Osaka and Tokyo

Tokyo Disney sounds a LOT better than USA Disney and is not run by Disney. I still gave it a swerve when my wife and daughter went. I also did my own thing when my family wanted to visit kyoto temples etc. I did one family day looking at those red gates and visiting a museum.

I would argue that ghibliland and ghibli park are dar better tokyo experiences.
My daughter 17 has been to all of them but says fuji-Q highland is the best.

 

[Maltin]

Flights booked! Very spenny but my wife's a teacher and thats just the price you pay for that.

So we're thinking of doing 5 nights in Tokyo, 5 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Osaka, with one night back in Tokyo ready to fly home. We've decided against Hakone, and Hiroshima. I've been to Hiroshima, but the main draw there is Miyajima, which my wife isn't bothered about, and the peace park, again she's not too bothered, I've already been to both. Hakone looks lovely, but I've been and I don't recall being that enthused by it, and my wife isn't too bothered either. My wife has a lifetime dream of going to every Disneyland in the world (my worst nightmare), but marriage is about compromise, right? So I guess one day in Tokyo will be going to Disneyland.

As far as places to stay I've been looking at Ueno in Tokyo, it's right on the yamanote line and good links for airports. In Kyoto I've been looking at Gion, and for Osaka I've been looking at Namba

There is a DisneySea there which might be a different experience for her than just Disneyland, so she might like that instead or maybe she might want to do both...

 

[Artaxerxes]

We're going in August - I know it'll be steaming hot, but we're still tied to school holidays.

I'll be checking out the thread for ideas on what to do with teenagers who don't want to do anything

Ghibli if your going to Tokyo and the teenage shopping districts I guess?

Fortunately aircon is ubiquitous so aside from on streets you’ll survive (but still end up sweaty as fuck)

 

[Artaxerxes]

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add a other to Tokyo.

5 in Osaka works as you can always go out to Kyoto and other cool stuff around it like Koya-san

 

[sim667]

5 Nights in kyoto sounds a bit excessive. I'd rather do three on Osaka and add an other to Tokyo.

I was thinking about Kyoto as the base to get to Nara, and that would consume one day there, or would we be better doing that trip from Osaka?

I might see about extending Osaka, shortening Kyoto and looking at that other place suggested earlier.

I’m still confused by the beds though

 

[rubbershoes]

What's the best way for a family of 5 to get around? We're planning train from Tokyo to Kyoto but haven't thought beyond that..

 

[Dr. Furface]

What's the best way for a family of 5 to get around? We're planning train from Tokyo to Kyoto but haven't thought beyond that..

Trains, although the Japan rail pass costs a lot more now than it used to. Budget flights between some cities might well be cheaper, but less fun and you won't see as much.

 

[Winot]

What's the best way for a family of 5 to get around? We're planning train from Tokyo to Kyoto but haven't thought beyond that..

We did 2.5 weeks (family of 4; 16 and 18 yo daughters) there this July and did the whole thing on public transport and the occasional taxi.

4 nights Hakkone
3 nights Kyoto
1 night Osaka
4 nights Koya-san
6 nights Tokyo

On reflection dropping a night in Tokyo and adding one to Kyoto would have been good. We liked Kyoto more than I expected.

I know Tokyo quite well (have been 6/7 times for work over 20 years) and love it but there's not much "tourist" stuff there.

We mainly enjoyed eating.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

What's the best way for a family of 5 to get around? We're planning train from Tokyo to Kyoto but haven't thought beyond that..

Just get the JR. I imagine pay as you go is better than the JR pass these days, especially if you are only going to kyoto and Tokyo. I went everywhere in kyoto on foot. . . But as you probably know I quite like running. This will not be nearly as much fun in August.
Taxis are a pain and buses can be a nightmare for non Japanese speaker's. There are only about three stations or something in kyoto.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Trains, although the Japan rail pass costs a lot more now than it used to. Budget flights between some cities might well be cheaper, but less fun and you won't see as much.

Deffo shinkansen between Tokyo and kyoto.

 

[Winot]

Just get the JR. I imagine pay as you go is better than the JR pass these days, especially if you are only going to kyoto and Tokyo. I went everywhere in kyoto on foot. . . But as you probably know I quite like running. This will not be nearly as much fun in August.
Taxis are a pain and buses can be a nightmare for non Japanese speaker's. There are only about three stations or something in kyoto.

Actually we found buses pretty easy all over Japan. You can load a Pasmo travel card on your phone and just tap in and out. Google maps has the routes so you know where to get off.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Buses and local trains cover pretty much every where you need to go


Despite the cliches I found the trains far less crowded than the underground most of the time so I assume that’s only peak peak times.

What I would say is make sure you know of the etiquette - there’s a lot less noise and fucking about on the trains and buses, some talking but mostly people keep to themselves

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I was thinking about Kyoto as the base to get to Nara, and that would consume one day there, or would we be better doing that trip from Osaka?

I have no idea. I'm really not an expert i've mostly been driven around with bands or family outside of tokyo. I've only been to kyoto once as a tourist.
Five just days seems like a bit much to me when you have so little time.

I’m still confused by the beds though

From memory Japanese beds are no smaller than western beds. . . Unless you get a trad futon, in which case it doesn't matter as the whole floor is your bed.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Despite the cliches I found the trains far less crowded than the underground most of the time so I assume that’s only peak peak times.

It is. Really really try to avoid rush hour. I've been squashed to the point that I was in fear of my life.
After that, it's fairly dreamy.

Similar to London, you can often walk to a more convenient station rather than switch lines. . . . . Which can also add up if you are leaving the JR for the underground. . . Or switching to an underground line run by another company.

 

[sim667]

So we've booked accommodation for Tokyo - 4 Nights (Asakusa), 3 Nights in Kyoto, I showed my wife about Koyasan and she likes the look of it, so we thought we'd hoik our way from Kyoto straight to Koya for a night, and then back the next day to Osaka where we'll do 3 nights, with a day trip to Nara on one of the days, and then back to Tokyo for a night in nice hotel before home the next day.

We've been looking at a temple stay, and from what it looks like to me they feed you early, expect you to sleep quite early, and then you're up at the crack of dawn to pray, when actually one of the reasons we'd be going to Koya is because my OH really likes the look of the nighttime tour of the graveyard. What's peoples thoughts on this?